Priming mixture



Patented July 30, 1935 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRIMTING IVIIXTURE Joseph D. McNutt, New Haven. Conn., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Winchester Repeating Arms Company, a corporation of Maryland No Drawing. Application November 6, 1931,

Serial No. 573,517

8 Claims. (Cl. 524) This invention relates to improvements in The ingredients are firstthoroughly and homopriming mixtures for small arms ammunition, geneously mixed and then poured into individual and more particularly to a non-corrosive priming pellets of the proper size for the individual mixture of the non-mercuric type. charges in the customary way, by means of a In producing the priming mixtures forming the charge plate provided with perforations adapted .1

subject matter of my invention, I employ an initito mold pellets of the proper size. These pellets ator consisting of diazodinitrophenol and a sensiare then loaded into primer cups in the usual way tizer. 'As a sensitizer I preferably employ tetraand the primer cups then assembled in the car zene, although other materials may be substituted tridge cases.

10 therefor, such as metallic azides. I also preferably The initiator forming the subject matter of the 10 employ oxidizing agents which will produce anonpresent invention may also be employed in rim corrosive residue. The word tetrazene is used in fire priming mixtures. In producing a rim fire this specification in the manner in which it is priming mixture I find it advisable to add not commonly employed in the ammunition industry only a sensitizer, such as tetrazene to the diazoand designates the compound sometimes referred dinitrophenol, but to also employ a booster. For 15 to as guanylnitrosaminoguanyltetrazene, see the this purpose I preferably employ basic lead azide. French patent to Rathsburg No. 671,800. A suitable priming mixture for rimfire use may be Heretofore mercury fulminate has been genformed by mixing the following ingredients in the erally used as the initiator in priming mixtures following proportions:

for small arms ammunition. It possesses many 20 advantages and it has been diflicult to find other 15 preferably 17% Basic lead azide--" 6 to 12%, preferably 10% materials to be used in place of mercury ful- Tetmzene 4 to 77 preferably 67 minate which would produce as satisfactory re- Barium 20 to preferably sults, even though considerable effort has been Lead peroxide 12 to 20%, preferably 16% made to eliminate mercuryfulminate from prim- Ground glass 20 to 28% preferably 26% 25 ing mixtures. While it possesses certain advantages, it also possesses certain disadvantages. As in the center fire mixtures the proportions of Amalgamation of the cartridge cases caused by the ingredients may be varied depending upon the free mercury produced by the decomposition the properties desired in the individual case and 30 of the mercury fulminate when the cartridge is the commercial strength of the ingredients. The 30 exploded prevents reloading of center fire car rim fire mixture is prepared in the usual way, tridges. By employing an initiator in which no poured into individual pellets of the proper size mercury fulminate is present, this amalgamation for the individual charges by means of a charge is eliminated which permits reloading and re-'use plate in the usual manner and'then transferred 5 of center fire cartridge cases. The priming mixto empty rim fire cartridge shells. The priming ture of my invention also possesses advantages for mixture is then forced to distribute itself into use in rim fire primers. It has greater stability the hollow rim of the cartridge shell by spinning on storing and therefore permits the ammunition the shell in the customary machine. The shells to be used and better results obtained after it has are then loaded .with powder and bullets in the 40 been stored for long periods of time. customary way. 40

A suitable priming mixture for center fire car- I claim: tridges may be formed by mixing the following 1. A priming mixture for small arms ammuniingredients insubstantially the following proportion comprising diazodinitrophenol, tetrazene,

tions: I barium nitrate, lead peroxide, calcium silicide and mazodimimphenol'" 12 to 18%"prefemb1y 15% fi gzin i i r i g nizture for small arms ammuni- 45 ggfig gg i i gi tion comprising from 12 to 18% of diazodini- A 'T era y trophenol, from 1 to 4% tetrazene, from 25 to ntimony sulphide 8 to 18%, preferably 17% 40 t 15 t 25 v 1 Lead peroxide 15 to 257 preferabl 20 banum m m from o ead perox Calcium a 8 to referablg. ide,,from 8 to 20% calcium silicide and from 8 50 a I 0 to 18% antimony sulphide. Proportions of these ingredients may, of course, 3. A priming mixture for small arms ammunibe varied, depending upon the commercial tion comprising substantially 15% diazodinitrostrength of the ingredients and to meet the rephenol, substantially 35% barium nitrate, subquirements of various usesof the mixture. stantially 3% tetrazene, substantially 17% antimony sulphide, substantially 20% lead peroxide and substantially 10% calcium'silicide.

4. A priming mixture for small arms ammunition comprising diazodinitrophenol, basic lead azide, tetrazene, barium nitrate, lead peroxide and ground glass.

5. A priming mixture for small arms ammunition comprising from 15 to 20% diazodinitrophenol, from'G to 12% basic lead azide, from 4 to 7% tetrazene, from 20 to 30% barium nitrate, from 12 to 20% lead peroxide and from '20 to 28% ground glass.

6. A priming mixture for small arms ammuni- 

